Strawberry Pop-Tart Sugar Cookies (Stuffed, Soft, & Nostalgic)

Introduction

We all remember tearing open that silver foil wrapper. Whether you toasted them or ate them cold, the Strawberry Pop-Tart is a breakfast icon.

This recipe takes that childhood nostalgia and transforms it into a gourmet dessert. Strawberry Pop-Tart Sugar Cookies feature a thick, buttery sugar cookie base stuffed with a pocket of sweet strawberry jam, baked until soft, and finished with a crackly vanilla glaze and rainbow sprinkles.¹

The challenge with stuffed cookies is leakage—the filling often bubbles out, ruining the aesthetic. To solve this, we use a simple “Cornstarch Hack” to thicken the jam before filling, ensuring the fruit center stays distinct and gooey inside the cookie without exploding in the oven. It’s breakfast, dessert, and pure comfort all in one bite.

Ingredients List

We are creating a cookie that mimics the texture of a soft-baked pastry.

The Sugar Cookie Dough

1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature.
1 cup Granulated Sugar.
1 Large Egg: Room temperature.
1 tsp Vanilla Extract.
3 cups All-Purpose Flour: Spooned and leveled.
- Texture Note: This is a higher flour ratio than a standard chewy cookie. We need a sturdy, slightly cakey dough (shortbread-style) to hold the heavy filling.
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder.
½ tsp Salt.

The Strawberry Filling

½ cup Strawberry Jam or Preserves: High quality (Bonne Maman or homemade is great).
1 tsp Cornstarch:
- The Secret: Mixing raw cornstarch into the jam thickens it so it doesn’t melt into a watery mess while baking.

The Iconic Glaze

1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar.
2–3 tbsp Heavy Cream (or Milk): Cream makes it whiter and more opaque.
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract.
Rainbow Sprinkles (Nonpareils): Or red sanding sugar for the classic look.

Sensory Note: These cookies are heavy. When you pick one up, you feel the density of the fruit filling. The bite goes from the crisp dried glaze to the soft, buttery cookie, and finally, the sticky, tart jam center.

Timing

The chilling step is optional but recommended if your kitchen is warm.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 12–14 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
Yields: 12 Large Stuffed Cookies

Data Insight: Sugar cookies spread based on the temperature of the butter.² Because we are stuffing these, we want minimal spread. If your dough feels sticky or warm after mixing, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling to ensure the “pocket” holds its shape.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Filling

In a small bowl, whisk the strawberry jam and cornstarch together vigorously until the white powder disappears.
Pro Tip: If you have time, dollop 12 teaspoons of this mixture onto a plate and freeze them for 20 minutes. Frozen jam is much easier to wrap dough around than gooey jam!

Step 2: The Dough

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).³ Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).⁴
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until a non-sticky dough forms.
- Check: The dough should be like Play-Doh. If it’s crumbly, add 1 tsp milk. If sticky, add 1 tbsp flour.

Step 3: Stuff and Seal (The Dumpling Method)

Scoop roughly 2 tablespoons of dough. Roll it into a ball, then flatten it into a pancake in your palm.
Place 1 teaspoon of the jam mixture in the center.
Fold: Gently fold the edges of the dough up and over the jam, pinching them together to seal.
Roll: Roll the filled dough gently between your hands to smooth out the seams.
Place on the baking sheet and flatten slightly with your palm so it looks like a thick puck, not a ball.

Step 4: Bake

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
Doneness Test: The bottoms should be lightly golden, but the tops should remain pale. The cookie should look “set” and puffy.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they are fragile when hot), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5: The Glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth.
Consistency: It should be thick like glue, not runny like water. If it runs off the cookie too fast, add more sugar.
Spoon a dollop of glaze onto the center of each cooled cookie and spread it slightly toward the edges (leave a rim of “crust” showing for that Pop-Tart look).
Immediately top with sprinkles. Let the glaze harden for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information

A calorie-dense breakfast-dessert hybrid. Below is the estimated breakdown per cookie.

Nutrient	Amount per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	310 kcal	15%
Total Fat	14g	21%
Saturated Fat	9g	45%
Carbohydrates	44g	16%
Sugars	26g	–
Protein	3g	6%

Variations for the Recipe

Brown Sugar Cinnamon: Swap the filling for a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Add cinnamon to the dough.
S’mores: Fill with Nutella and mini marshmallow bits. Use chocolate glaze.
Wild Berry: Use blueberry or mixed berry jam and dye the glaze light purple.
Lemon: Use lemon curd filling (thickened with cornstarch) and yellow sprinkles.

Serving Suggestions

The Warm Up: Pop-Tarts are meant to be warm. Microwave a cookie for 10 seconds before eating to make the jam center molten.
The Drink: A tall glass of cold Oat Milk or hot coffee.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Leaking Jam:
- The Issue: The seal wasn’t tight, or the dough was too thin.
- The Fix: Make sure the dough isn’t too thin on the bottom. Pinch the seams tight! And don’t skip the cornstarch in the jam.
Melting Glaze:
- The Issue: Glazing warm cookies.
- The Result: The glaze melts into a translucent syrup.
- The Fix: The cookies must be 100% room temperature.
Overbaking:
- The Issue: Waiting for the tops to brown.
- The Result: Dry, hard cookies.
- The Fix: Trust the timer. They should look pale on top.

Storing Tips for the Recipe

Room Temp: Store in a single layer (or stacked with parchment paper) in an airtight container for 3 days.
Fridge: Not recommended, as the moisture from the jam can make the cookie soggy over time.
Freezing: You can freeze the baked, unglazed cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw and glaze fresh.

Conclusion

Strawberry Pop-Tart Sugar Cookies are the perfect blend of kitchen craft and childhood joy. They solve the dry, cardboard texture of the original toaster pastry by replacing the crust with a melt-in-your-mouth butter cookie. Whether you are baking for a bake sale or just a Tuesday treat, these stuffed cookies are guaranteed to disappear fast.

Ready to stuff? Grab that jam! If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below and let us know: are you Team Strawberry or Team Brown Sugar Cinnamon? Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more copycat cookie recipes.

FAQs

Q: Can I use fresh strawberries?

A: No. Fresh fruit releases too much water while baking, which will dissolve the cookie dough from the inside out. Stick to jam or preserves.

Q: Can I make rectangular cookies?

A: Yes! Roll the dough out on a floured surface, cut into rectangles, place jam on one, top with another, crimp the edges with a fork, and bake. (Basically mini hand pies).

Q: Why did my glaze turn clear?

A: You likely used water or skim milk. Using heavy cream and plenty of powdered sugar ensures that opaque, bakery-white finish.